How to Configure and Use Vocab Beats in Vocab Loco

Vocab Beats is currently only available in Vocab Loco ready-made lists. Custom word lists do not include this activity. To check whether a specific list has Vocab Beats, open the list hub — the Vocab Beats module will appear there if the list has an associated song.

What is Vocab Beats?

Vocab Beats turns vocabulary practice into a listening activity. Each song is tied to a specific ready-made word list — the target words from that list are hidden in the lyrics, and students must identify and type them as the song plays. The activity reinforces word recognition, spelling, and listening comprehension in a format that feels engaging and different from traditional exercises.

How students experience Vocab Beats

When a student opens Vocab Beats, the screen is split into two sections. On the left, the full song lyrics appear with numbered placeholders where the vocabulary words have been removed. On the right, a matching numbered input form waits for the student to type in the missing words.

The student clicks Play to start the song and listens for each hidden word. When a word is heard, the student finds the matching number in the form and types it in. An Auto Scroll toggle is available to automatically move the lyrics as the song progresses, so students do not have to scroll manually.

When all words have been filled in correctly, the module is marked as complete and the student sees a confirmation message.

Understanding the difficulty levels

Vocab Beats has three difficulty levels. The level a student receives is determined automatically by their grade. Here is how each level works:

• Level 1 — Easy: All hidden words are fully revealed in the lyrics, and the input fields are automatically filled in. The student's only task is to listen to the entire song to complete the module. Recommended for grades K–3.
• Level 2 — Intermediate: 70% of each hidden word is visible in the lyrics (for example, appl** for apple). Students use the partial hint to guess and type the full word. Recommended for grades 4–6.
• Level 3 — Advanced: Only the first letter of each hidden word is shown (for example, a**** for apple). Students must listen carefully and deduce the word with minimal visual help. Recommended for grades 7–12.

Step 1 — Configure the difficulty levels

Go to Customize Program in the sidebar and click the Vocab Beats tab. The configuration panel shows three columns — one for each level — with the grades currently assigned to each. Drag a grade from one column to another to reassign it, or use the arrow keys to move grades between levels.

If you want to restore the original setup, click Reset to Default. This returns all grades to the factory configuration: K–3 in Level 1, 4–6 in Level 2, and 7–12 in Level 3. When done, click Save to apply your changes.

Step 2 — Verify student grades

Since Vocab Beats difficulty is determined by each student's grade, make sure all students have the correct grade set in their profile. If a student's grade is already configured in your class, their level will be assigned automatically — no extra action is needed.

To check or update a student's grade, go to My Class, find the student, and click Edit. The grade field is on the student profile form.

If your school uses Clever or ClassLink, student grades are synced automatically from your student information system — no manual setup is needed.

Step 3 — Assign the ready-made list to students

Go to Word Lists in the sidebar and open the Vocab Loco Lists tab. Browse or search for the group you want to use and click Assign to students. Complete the assignment form by selecting the students or groups, choosing a mode (Progress or Schedule), and configuring any dates or settings as needed.

Once saved, the group card shows Assigned — This group is visible to students. Students can then open the list and access Vocab Beats directly from the list hub.

Not all ready-made lists have a Vocab Beats song. If the Vocab Beats module does not appear after assigning a list, that particular list does not have an associated song yet.

Vocab Beats completion is tracked in your reports. You can see total completed Vocab Beats activities per student in the Summary Report and on individual student progress pages.